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S. HRG. 111–842 

THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT 

MAKING REAUTHORIZATION WORK FOR 

WISCONSIN’S SENIORS 

FIELD HEARING 

BEFORE THE

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

MILWAUKEE, WI 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 

Serial No. 111–24 

Printed for the use of the Special Committee on Aging 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/index.html 

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING 

HERB KOHL, Wisconsin, Chairman 

RON WYDEN, Oregon 

BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, Arkansas 

EVAN BAYH, Indiana 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania 

CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri 

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island 

MARK UDALL, Colorado 

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, New York 

MICHAEL BENNET, Colorado 

ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania 

AL FRANKEN, Minnesota 

BOB CORKER, Tennessee 

RICHARD SHELBY, Alabama 

SUSAN COLLINS, Maine 

GEORGE LeMIEUX, FLORIDA 

ORRIN HATCH, Utah 

SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas 

LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina 

SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia 

DEBRA WHITMAN, Majority Staff Director 

MICHAEL BASSETT, Ranking Member Staff Director 

(II) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

Opening Statement of Senator Herb Kohl ............................................................. 1 

PANEL I 

Statement of Kathy Greenlee, U.S. Assistant Secretary For Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .......................................................... 3 

PANEL II 

Statement of Kay Brown, Director, Education Workforce Income Security 

Team, U.S. Government Accountability Office .................................................. 17 

Statement of Dorothy Williams, Family Caregiver, Wauwatosa, WI .................. 40 

Statement of Stephanie Stein, Director, Milwaukee County Department on 

Aging ..................................................................................................................... 43 

Statement of Heather Bruemmer, Executive Director and State Ombudsman, 

Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long-Term Care .............................................. 51 

APPENDIX 

Testimony submitted by Loree Cook-Daniels, FORGE Transgender Aging Network ....................................................................................................................... 62 

Testimony submitted by John Hendrick, Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups 

(CWAG) ................................................................................................................. 64 

Statement submitted by Latoya White, homecare worker ................................... 65 

(III) 

(1) 

THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT: 

MAKING REAUTHORIZATION WORK FOR 

WISCONSIN’S SENIORS 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 

U.S. SENATE, 

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING, 

Milwaukee, WI. 

The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 1 p.m. in the Main 

Hall, Wilson Senior Center, 2601 West Howard Avenue, 

Milwaukee, WI, Hon. Herb Kohl, presiding. 

Present: Senator Kohl [presiding]. 

MODERATOR. Good afternoon and thank you all for coming today 

to our hearing on Older Americans Act. 

This is an official Senate hearing that will be transcribed and 

placed in the Congressional Record. As such, there will not be an 

opportunity for questions from the audience today. However, if 

you’d like to submit a written statement, we’ll be happy to include 

it in the hearing record, and on all your chairs are forms which you 

can use to write comments and ideas to the Senator and members 

of the panel. 

The deadline for testimony is Tuesday, September 21, and if you 

have any additional questions, please see Cara Goldstein or myself 

immediately after the hearing and we’d be happy to help you in 

any way. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR HERB KOHL, CHAIRMAN 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, and thank you, ladies and 

gentlemen, for allowing us to come here today to the Wilson Senior 

Center. 

It’s very nice to be holding an Aging Committee here in my 

hometown. 

Back in 1965, President Johnson signed into law the Older 

Americans Act which provides the bulk of aging-related programs. 

Today, it serves over 10 million Americans all across our country 

and over 386,000 seniors right here in our State of Wisconsin. 

The Older Americans Act helps seniors live independently in 

their communities through home care, home-delivered and group 

meals, family caregiver support, transportation, as well as other 

services, and last year the Federal funding for these OAA programs 

was $2.3 billion. 

Every 5 years, the government takes a look at OAA programs to 

assess whether they’re meeting the needs of the people they serve. 

2 

Today, we are here to listen to your ideas for strengthening and 

improving OAA programs. 

I am Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee. I’ll work closely 

with my other Senate colleagues to ensure that your recommendations play a prominent role in the debate over the future of these 

very important programs. 

I also have been a strong supporter for a long time for adequate 

funding for OAA programs each and every year. I’ve long championed the National Family Caregiver Support Program which provides needed assistance and respite services to family members 

who care for an elderly or disabled relative. 

Also, I’m a long-time supporter of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program which provides an advocate for elderly and disabled 

patients to help resolve complaints of abuse and neglect in longterm care programs. 

Not surprisingly, the need for such vital OAA programs has increased during these difficult economic times. Over the next year 

we’ll be looking to find the areas in which OAA programs are not 

meeting the needs of today’s seniors so we can fill in those gaps 

during the next reauthorization next year. 

Today, we’re very fortunate to be joined by the United States 

Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee. We’re particularly 

proud to host her here in our State because our State is a model 

for OAA programs in many ways, as you will hear from our other 

witnesses. 

So we thank you again for being here today and we look forward 

to hearing your input and ways that we can improve on the OAA 

Act during reauthorization, not only here in Wisconsin but for seniors all across our country. Thank you so much. 

[Applause.] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR HERB KOHL

Hello, everyone. I’d like to thank you for joining us here today. It’s so nice to be 

holding an Aging Committee hearing here in my hometown. 

In 1965, President Johnson singed into law the Older American’s Act which provides the bulk of aging-related programs. Today, it serves over 10 million Americans 

nationwide, and over 386,000 seniors right here in Wisconsin. The Older Americans 

Act helps seniors live independently in their communities through home care, homedelivered and group meals, family caregiver support, transportation and other services. Last year, federal funding for OAA programs was $2.3 billion. 

Every five years, Congress takes a fresh look at OAA programs to assess whether 

they are meeting the needs of the people they serve. We are here today to listen 

to your ideas for strengthening and improving OAA programs. As Chair of the Senate Aging Committee, I will work closely with my colleagues to ensure your recommendations play a prominent role in the debate over the future of these programs. 

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have been a strong supporter for adequate funding for OAA programs each year. I have long-championed 

the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which provides needed assistance 

and respite services to family members who care for an elderly or disabled relative. 

I am also a longtime supporter of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which 

provides an advocate for elderly and disabled patients to help resolve complaints of 

abuse and neglect in long-term care. 

Not surprisingly, the need for such vital OAA programs has increased during 

these difficult economic times. Over the next year, we will be looking to find the 

areas in which OAA programs are not meeting the needs of today’s seniors so we 

can fill in those gaps during reauthorization. 

We are very fortunate to be joined today by U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging 

Kathy Greenlee. We are particularly proud to host her here in Wisconsin because 

3 

our State is a model for OAA programs in many ways, as you will hear from our 

other witnesses. 

Thank you again to all of you for being here. I look forward to hearing your input 

on ways we can improve the Older Americans Act during reauthorization, both for 

Wisconsin’s seniors and seniors nationwide. 

The CHAIRMAN. Our first witness today is Kathy Greenlee. 

Kathy’s the Assistant Secretary for Aging at the United States 

Department of Health and Human Services. 

Kathy Greenlee brings over a decade of experience advancing the 

health and independence of seniors and their families. Prior to becoming the Assistant Secretary, Ms. Greenlee served as Secretary 

of Aging for the State of Kansas, as well as the Kansas State LongTerm Care Ombudsman. 

We’re very fortunate to have her with us here today, and we 

would look forward and be delighted, Ms. Greenlee, to receive your 

testimony. 

STATEMENT OF KATHY GREENLEE, U.S. ASSISTANT 

SECRETARY FOR AGING, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Ms. GREENLEE. Thank you, Senator. It’s a delight to be with you 

today. 

I’d like to say hello to all my fine colleagues from Wisconsin who 

are in the audience with us. 

It’s an honor to be able to testify before the Senate Special Committee on Aging at a field hearing. I would like to be able to briefly 

discuss what we’ve been doing at the Administration on Aging to 

solicit input, and I also look forward to remaining for the whole 

hearing so I can hear what the members of the other panel and the 

audience have to say, as well. 

Senator, your leadership in the field of aging precedes you and 

is certainly much well known outside of Wisconsin and it’s something that I was very well aware of, both as the Kansas Ombudsman and the Kansas Secretary of Aging. So I would like to thank 

you. 

You serve in essential positions in Congress the Senate Appropriations Committee, Judiciary Committee, and, of course, as Chair 

of the Special Committee on Aging. It’s critical to have champions 

for seniors, and I’d like to commend you for what you’ve been able 

to do for the seniors of Wisconsin as well as for the seniors of the 

Nation. 

This is the first visit I’ve made as Assistant Secretary to 

Wisconsin. As a lifelong Kansan, I’ll tell you I’ve spent my tourist 

dollars here but I’ve been to Dane County. I’ve been to Door County. But this is the first chance to come and really talk to you about 

the needs of Wisconsin seniors and also to commend you on the 

leadership of your network. 

As you just mentioned, the Wisconsin model, the Aging and Disability Resource Centers have led the Nation, and I’d like to specifically acknowledge Donna McDowell. Donna is the bureau director 

of the Wisconsin Aging and Disability Resource Bureau and I know 

you know of Donna’s leadership here. She’s also served on her National Association Board and has been a national leader in this 

work, as well. 

4 

This is a great place, I think, to be a senior and you’re well deserving of these good services. 

As you just mentioned, the Older Americans Act was passed in 

1965, 16 days before Medicare and Medicaid were passed. Those 

three laws, the Older Americans Act, Medicare and Medicaid, really form the foundation of the programs that we have in this country, along with Social Security, to help seniors maintain their 

health and dignity as they age. 

The Older Americans Act, I think, is a quiet member of that 

team but has been steadily for 45 years assisting seniors in getting 

nutrition and supportive services so that they can remain independent as they age. 

I have seen the demographics here, and I’ve seen the demographics in the Nation. We are becoming an older Nation, as you 

know, more seniors, more diverse seniors, and one of the highestgrowing populations are the seniors that are 85 years and older. 

We have much to do to be able to provide adequate resources to 

seniors to support them as they age and allow them and support 

them in remaining in their homes and communities. We also have 

much to do together to support family caregivers and I know you 

will hear from a family caregiver this afternoon. 

As you know, family caregivers are 80 percent of the long-term 

care system in this country. Their work is essential and important, 

not just to their loved ones but to all of us. 

I think it’s also important, before we talk specifically about the 

Older Americans Act, to acknowledge that this was an historic year 

for seniors with the passage of the Affordable Care Act and I know 

of your support for many of the provisions in the Affordable Care 

Act that address seniors. 

I think the Affordable Care Act provides this network a tremendous opportunity to showcase what we know best, how to support 

seniors and their health and their living in the community, and we 

look forward to finding new ways to work with our partners within 

the Department of Health and Human Services but also with the 

Members of Congress on how we can use the Affordable Care Act 

to its fullest. 

One piece of that that’s so important is the Elder Justice Act. It 

passed after 10 years, and we’re very, very pleased. 

[Applause.] 

The Elder Justice Act is critical. What I began doing on my own 

journey with regard to reauthorization was hold a series of reauthorization listening sessions. I had a full day hearing in Dallas, 

one in Alexandria, VA, and one in San Francisco in March. 

I had testimony from over 300 individuals at those three hearings. In addition, I did a webinar with Jane Oates, who’s the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the Department 

of Labor, to talk specifically about the Senior Community Services 

Employment Program, Title V, of the Older Americans Act. We also 

took input on our website and encouraged community organizations 

to hold gatherings so that they could provide us their information 

about the reauthorization and there are many things that we know 

by having these national hearings and some of the concepts are 

overarching and not specific to a specific title. 

5 

The single point of entry for individuals seeking services is critical, and something that you know very well. Person-centered care 

and self-directed care are universal concepts that need to continue 

to be embodied with the Act. 

States and local organizations have talked about the need for 

flexibility and being able to tailor the services to the unique needs 

of an individual. That flexibility has been a hallmark of this Act, 

so we can provide specific services to a specific individual and their 

family and that continues to be something that’s very much embraced, as well as the integration of medical services with human 

services, so that we can look to find the best of science to help integrate into the best of social services, and then, of course, the workforce. 

I mean, all of us know that even though family caregivers are 80 

percent of the long-term care, we need increasing numbers of workforce to help with geriatrics, everything from geriatricians to direct 

care workers, and that certainly was a common theme as I took 

testimony. 

With regard to the specifics on the Older Americans Act, the 

comments were grouped into a couple of categories, one having to 

do with the structure and the other having to do with service and 

delivery. 

I’ll just run through some of these, and I could talk about each 

of these topics at length and I know I don’t have time to do that. 

The original Declaration of Objectives in the Act is still valid, 

that the guiding principles of helping to create a society that enhances the lives of older individuals is still critical. The role of advocacy is also something that needs to be supported and embraced 

up and down the network, starting from my role as Assistant Secretary to the grassroots individuals, to really advocate on behalf of 

seniors. 

I heard a lot of people talk about one of the best things about 

the Older Americans Act is the requirement that individuals advocate on behalf of seniors. 

The importance of home- and community-based services. All of 

the programs that we have within Title III, which is where we 

have supportive services and nutrition funding, were universally 

supported in the testimony that I have received, as well as, as I 

said, the Aging and Disability Resource Centers and flexibility. 

We also, in the last few years at the Administration on Aging, 

have been focusing more on health promotion and evidence-based 

health programs. That concept has been embraced by this national 

network. We want to have good science behind the health services 

that we provide to seniors and their supporters. 

Of course, support for caregivers. There are caregiving relationships of all kinds and what we need, I think, is to be responsive 

to the needs of caregivers and see that families come in different 

kinds. We have family members caring for each other. We have 

friends caring for people. We have grandparents raising grandchildren, that caregiving is critical. 

I certainly don’t need to point out to this audience that the issues 

of the rural nature of this country in many States comes up and 

when I hear from my friends further to the West and the North 

Central Plains, they even talk to me about what it’s like to live on 

6 

the frontier, that there are people who are aging in rural America 

who have quite a distance to travel to receive services. 

It’s also been presented to me the need to continue to be innovative. We’ve always funded through Title IV of the Older Americans 

Act innovation and training, and I’ve met many people who got into 

this work because we were able to support them through the Older 

Americans Act, as well as I mentioned the need to collaborate with 

the Department of Labor on community services and supporting 

seniors who need job support and the ability to give back through 

community services. 

Title VI of the law, and I am trying to describe these to the audience by description, not just title, but Title VI of the law is specific 

for tribal organizations. Our relationship at the Federal level is directly with the sovereign organizations of the Tribes and we fund 

those programs directly instead of funding them through the State. 

We hear a lot of support for continued consolidation and flexibility among the Tribes and even though we’ve been talking about 

reauthorization, not appropriations, I do want to share the incredible comments that I received about the lack of resources in Indian 

Country, that the Tribes really do as much as they can with very 

few resources, and we understand the need to be innovative and 

creative as we partner with them. 

Then last but certainly not least but only finally because it’s 

Title VII is the Elder Rights, Elder Justice, the work with the Ombudsman Program, and the elder hotlines. 

I think one of the interesting puzzles for us moving forward is 

to figure out how best to use the Elder Justice Act that’s just 

passed, the Affordable Care Act and Title VII of the Older Americans Act so they fit hand in glove and strengthen each other as we 

move forward. 

Our opportunity internally with reauthorization has just started. 

I’ve been working with people in the Office of The Secretary to 

work within the Administration, so I can’t tell you specifically what 

we will do or present, but want to confirm to you that we’ve been 

listening and this is a tremendously good law. I encourage people 

to pay attention to the needs of seniors. I applaud you for what 

you’ve been doing and really want to recognize, Senator, your leadership and your concern about the reauthorization. 

Thank you very much. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Secretary Greenlee follows:] 

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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, 

Secretary Greenlee, for your testimony. 

We’re looking forward to working with you to reauthorize the 

OAA. I’d like to ask you has the Administration set any priorities 

for Older Americans Act reauthorization and what do you view as 

some of the critical improvements that need to be made for the future of OAA? 

Ms. GREENLEE. Senator, it’s easier for me at this point because 

I’m still working internally with regard to what we will present, 

rather than giving you specifics but to identify opportunities. 

I think it’s clear in looking at the mission of the Administration 

on Aging, the mission of the Older Americans Act, and many of the 

components of the Affordable Care Act health reform—that we as 

a Nation have embraced community living and community services, 

and that there are many things that we can do and need to do 

moving forward to look at community services across populations, 

so that we can meet the cultural needs of people who have diverse 

backgrounds, that we can work with seniors as well as people with 

disabilities. A common platform for all of us moving forward as an 

aging and diverse Nation is community care and community support. 

The Older Americans Act will always be a piece of this but will 

never and was not intended to be a huge, huge component but a 

supportive and critical part. So I think, looking forward, that the 

opportunities and the innovation are looking at what we can do to 

make sure that each of these amplifies the other and that we can 

support seniors living in their homes and independently. 

I believe that that’s what seniors and their families want. I also 

believe personally that we will always have a need for skilled longterm care in some setting that’s in a congregate setting, such as 

skilled nursing homes. So while nursing home residents are 3 percent of the population, they are some of the most vulnerable, and 

while we talk about community services, we must always remember that people who lived as long as they could at home but needed 

care in a different setting. 

The CHAIRMAN. In terms of access and affordability, how much 

more or less difficult is it to provide services in urban areas versus 

out in the country? 

Ms. GREENLEE. I don’t mean to be glib, but it depends on if 

you’re talking to a rural or urban provider. That’s serious because 

the rural providers, and I know this coming from a rural State, will 

talk about the tremendous cost of time and distance, that delivering a meal 50 miles away, a hundred miles away is expensive. 

Our urban counterparts, our urban providers will also talk about 

the difficulty of density, of having a great number of people to 

serve and transportation, I think, is the underlying concern for 

both, that we have many people, seniors aging in rural counties, 

without access to transportation, but we also have transportation 

problems in cities and the chore is to figure out how best to use 

transportation resources, regardless of where someone lives, to get 

them the services that they ask for. 

The CHAIRMAN. As we all know, funding for the current OAA 

programs is already stretched very thin. Some programs have more 

applicants than we are able to serve. While we hope to expand 

16 

OAA in many areas, it seems to me we also need to consider where 

we can consolidate in order not to have runaway costs. Do you have 

some ideas on that? 

Ms. GREENLEE. The guidance I would give at this point, Senator, 

is flexibility, that is the beauty of the law, and to the degree that 

we at the Federal level can support the States and the area agencies in being able to be flexible with their services and creative 

with their services. This is a grassroots network that we built and 

supported and the most effective use of resources are on the ground 

where a local provider can assess what other kinds of supports and 

systems are in place for an individual and provide the most costeffective and efficient programs possible. 

So I think continuing to support the grassroots network is the solution. 

The CHAIRMAN. Last year, as you know, Federal funding for OAA was $2.3 billion and as we look forward to reauthorization, I would 

suppose you’re very much aware and cognizant and sensitive to the 

need to provide the same level and quality of services while still 

not stretching that budget unnecessarily. You’re very much mindful 

of that, I’m certain? 

Ms. GREENLEE. One of the best conversations I’ve had recently 

in Washington is with the individual who heads the CMS Office, 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, for Innovation Programs. 

I think the future going forward will require us to better figure 

out how much we should invest in medical services and how much 

we should invest in social services, so that they complement each 

other, rather than expecting each to grow independently of the 

other. I think there are some opportunities moving forward to use 

the best practices of this network to be able to demonstrate that 

if we provide home services and meals, we can show demonstrated 

cost savings to both Medicare and Medicaid with fewer hospital visits and fewer emergency room visits. 

We need the time and the opportunity to look for those best practices and be able to highlight the network and from that we will 

have the experience that we need to go more global or at least on 

a national scale. I think we have to look at these together. 

The CHAIRMAN. How has your experience in the State of Kansas 

enabled you to hit the ground running? 

Ms. GREENLEE. Yes, it’s been very helpful to have been in a State 

and had the unique position of having a variety of jobs that are 

very important now from being the ombudsman to also running a 

Medicaid agency and being familiar with nursing homes. 

I feel like I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to see services on 

the full range from when seniors first starting needing help to 

when they’re in a supported dementia unit in a skilled nursing facility. 

I’ve seen all of the services and the underlying goal, I think, for 

everything that we do is supporting the health of seniors. I had one 

of those epiphany moments in a nursing home in Abilene, KS a 

couple of years ago, when I realized that all residents are in the 

nursing home for one reason they lost their health, and so we must 

support health, support community services and make sure that we 

have quality nursing home care when it’s needed. 

17 

The CHAIRMAN. That’s very good, Ms. Greenlee. We very much 

appreciate your taking the time and showing the interest to come 

here to Wisconsin to provide your testimony and we’re looking forward to working very closely with you over the coming year as 

we’ve indicated here today we reauthorize the OAA Act. 

We’ve received many testimonies for the record that we would 

like to have a chance to review with you and request that you consider them as the Administration goes about reauthorizing the program. We very much appreciate your willingness not only to be 

here today but to stay for the duration of this hearing so that you 

can hear what is offered from the great State of Wisconsin to you 

to consider as you go about your responsibilities. 

Thank you so much for being here, Kathy Greenlee. 

Ms. GREENLEE. Thank you, Senator. Thank you very much. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. All right. We turn now to our second panel. The 

first witness on the second panel will be Kay Brown. She’s the Director of the Education Workforce Income Security Team at the 

U.S. Government Accountability Office, which is GAO. There, she 

focuses on improving government performance and delivering benefits and services to low-income as well as vulnerable populations. 

After her, we’ll be hearing from Dorothy Williams. She’s a family 

caregiver from Wauwatosa, who cares for her 101-year-old mother, 

who has dementia. Dorothy will describe her experiences with the 

respite services she has received through the Family Caregiver 

Support Program. 

After Dorothy, we will be hearing from Stephanie Sue Stein, who 

is the Director of the Milwaukee County Department on Aging. Ms. 

Stein administers Older Americans Act programs through the Milwaukee County Aging Resource Center. She’s on the Board of the 

Wisconsin Geriatric Education Center. She’s also a member of the 

State of Wisconsin Long-Term Care Council. 

Finally, we’ll be hearing from Heather Bruemmer. She’s the Executive Director and State Ombudsman for the Wisconsin Board on 

Aging and Long-Term Care where she oversees the Long-Term 

Care Ombudsman Volunteer Program. She also chairs the state’s 

Long-Term Care Council and she actively serves on the Coalition 

of Wisconsin’s Aging Group Advisory Council. 

We thank you all for being here today and we’ll start out with 

Kay Brown. 

STATEMENT OF KAY BROWN, DIRECTOR, EDUCATION WORKFORCE INCOME SECURITY TEAM, U.S. GOVERNMENT 

ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE 

Ms. BROWN. Senator Kohl, I’m pleased to be here today to discuss our ongoing work on services provided through Title III of the 

Older Americans Act. 

My remarks are based on preliminary results from our national 

survey of local area agencies on aging and our site visits to four 

States. This work is part of a larger study that we are conducting 

for you. 

Today, I will discuss two topics: what we have learned about requests for Title III services and how agencies have coped with 

these requests. 

18 

First, regarding requested services, local agencies responding to 

our survey told us that for seniors, home-delivered meals and 

transportation were requested most frequently. For caregivers, respite care was in highest demand. In fact, for all three of these services, a number of agencies, close to one in four, told us they cannot 

meet all of the requests. 

In addition, state and local officials said the number of requests 

are increasing. 

Given these circumstances, local agencies sometimes must make 

difficult decisions about which applicants to serve and how much 

service to provide. Many agencies told us how they reach out to 

those groups targeted under the law, such as low-income or minority individuals. 

Further, most agencies reported conducting at least some screening to assess applicants’ need for services, like home-delivered 

meals or respite care. 

On the other hand, most local agencies did not screen for congregate meals or transportation services. 

In addition to these known service needs, an unknown number 

of seniors who may need services do not request them. In our final 

report due out next year, we hope to estimate the number of individuals at high risk of needing services, such as transportation and 

home-based care. 

Moving on to my second issue, how agencies have coped with 

these increasing requests, particularly in the current economic environment. As we know, agencies providing services under the 

Older Americans Act rely on multiple funding sources. Many reported overall decreases in funding from Fiscal Year 2009 to 2010. 

Forty-four of 64 survey respondents said state funding, which is 

the second largest source of funding for these programs nationally, 

has decreased. Funds from local government, voluntary client contributions, and private sources have also fallen. 

So how did local agencies respond? First, as in prior years, many 

responded to changes in demand by transferring funds among programs, most often from congregate meals to home-delivered meals 

or support services, and some ended up having to reduce services 

due to funding cuts. Twelve of 64 reduced support services and 12 

reduced nutrition services. 

However, more States found ways to maintain levels. Some took 

steps to reduce administrative costs by, for example, stretching 

meal services supplies, limiting raises for employees, or leaving vacant positions unfilled. State officials in Wisconsin told us that, due 

to state budget cuts, the agency was unable to fill vacant positions 

and had cut planning, administration, and monitoring activities in 

order to avoid cutting services. 

Others we visited responded to limited funding and growing service requests by providing service to all who requested it but in 

smaller doses, such as fewer transit rides or fewer respite care 

hours. 

The additional $97 million from the Recovery Act specifically designated for home-based and congregate meals helped some local 

agencies to temporarily fill gaps in their nutrition services budget. 

Many expanded existing programs, though, and some created new 

programs. Ultimately, the majority of these agencies expressed conVerDate Nov 24 2008 12:27 Feb 04, 2011 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 H:\DOCS\63679.TXT SAG PsN: JOYCE
19 

cern about how expenses now covered by the Recovery Act will be 

met when the funding ends at the end of this year. 

In conclusion, Title III provides invaluable supports for older 

Americans. The need for these services will only increase over time 

as the number of people aged 60 and older continues to grow. 

Further, the current fiscal stress and looming deficits may continue to strain program resources. As a result, it will be increasingly important for home- and community-based services networks 

to make sure they’re focusing on those in greatest need. 

This concludes my prepared statement. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Brown follows:] 

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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Kay. Now we’ll speak to 

Dorothy Williams. We’d love to hear your testimony. 

STATEMENT OF DOROTHY WILLIAMS, FAMILY CAREGIVER, 

WAUWATOSA, WI 

Ms. WILLIAMS. Hi. I’m Dottie Williams, and I represent a family 

caregiver. I take care of my 101-year-old mom in our home, and I 

do this 24/7, 52 weeks of the year. 

Two years ago, my mom broke her hip and when she was being 

discharged from a rehab facility, I was asked to meet with a Milwaukee social worker to see if they could help me and I didn’t 

think it was any help because my mom had a tiny sum of money 

saved for one year of nursing home in case something catastrophic 

happened and we couldn’t care for her anymore in our home. 

Lo and behold, this wonderful social worker told me that there 

was a fund through a national funding but it wasn’t for my mom. 

It was respite care for me, and it wasn’t based on income, it was 

based on need. I was really blown away. In fact, I probably started 

to cry. 

Anyway, I was accepted in the program and she said it was for 

respite. So I hadn’t really thought about respite. I had been told 

about respite, but I thought I was strong. I was fine. I didn’t need 

it. But here was this respite given to me and I started using it. I 

worked through an agency and I started having dates with my husband. I started to reconnect with friends. I saw my doctor, and I 

realized I had become this dried-out sponge that wasn’t a very nice 

person. 

If you’ve taken care of anybody with dementia or anybody with 

disability, you realize you have to be happy, can never lose your 

temper, can’t pout or throw a temper tantrum. You have to always 

be pleasant and cheerful and positive, and I realized I hadn’t been 

that person and the respite care really rejuvenated me, filled me 

up again, and helped me be a better caregiver. 

So I realized, you know, you hear the phrases about wanting 

something or is it about needing something. I realized that respite 

care for a caregiver is a need. It isn’t a want. 

Then, last, I would just urge you to please renew the OAA Act. 

It funds this National Family Caregiver Program that I receive 

funds from. I would love it if there was a way to expand it for more 

families or other needs or even lengthen it. This is a short-term 

program. It isn’t a long-term program. 

Wisconsin, fortunately, has some other programs in place to help 

people, such as my mom and myself, and I just want to again 

thank you for this wonderful gift that was given me. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Williams follows:] 

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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Dorothy. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Stephanie, we’d love to hear from you. Pull the 

microphone up as close as you can. 

STATEMENT OF STEPHANIE STEIN, DIRECTOR, MILWAUKEE 

COUNTY DEPARTMENT ON AGING 

Ms. STEIN. OK. Senator Kohl, thank you so much for having this 

field hearing here. I know that your heart is with the people of 

Wisconsin and the people of Milwaukee and our heart is with you 

and we are so appreciative of your efforts in the Senate around 

elder rights and justice and pension rights and nursing home safety, but, most of all, for 90,000 people in Wisconsin, let me thank 

you for senior care and what you did for these citizens. 

[Applause.] 

It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet and hear Secretary 

Greenlee. We now know that the Administration on Aging is in 

very good hands and that is a relief. Thank you so much for being 

here. 

[Applause.] 

As Congress moves to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, 

please keep in mind that the Older Americans Act programs are 

truly the fundamental national underpinnings of home- and community-based care. 

In Milwaukee County, Wilson Park, where we are today, hosts 

one of our 30 congregate meal sites where every day thousands of 

people get a good meal and friendship and have some fun. Every 

day in Milwaukee County, because of the Older Americans Act, we 

deliver 850 home-delivered meals to homebound seniors. Every 

day, hundreds of people receive rides because of the Older Americans Act to see their doctor, to go shopping, or to come to a nutrition program and get out of the house. 

Dozens of people, like Dottie, receive care through the National 

Family Caregivers Support Program, so that caregivers can continue on with the difficult and blessed job of caring for the people 

that they love. 

The last reauthorization was pretty special to Wisconsin because 

it began to replicate aging and disability resource centers which we 

are so proud started in this State and are still very supportive. 

[Applause.] 

The Act also expanded nursing home diversion, a big thing close 

to our hearts, and helped us offer more wellness and prevention 

services to help people stay out of institutions. 

I hope, as you leave, you’ll look at our fitness center here where 

older people for free get a personal trainer and get to work out and 

get strong and stay as strong as they can possibly be. 

So the programs in the Older Americans Act are very important, 

they are very appreciated, and they are very under-funded. So any 

money, extra money that can be appropriated for the title, Senator 

Kohl, will be greatly appreciated in Wisconsin. 

However, the Older Americans Act is more than programs. The 

Act is based on the principles of the full participation of our Nation’s older Americans in all aspects of our complex society and in 

order to support those principles, it created very important strucVerDate Nov 24 2008 12:27 Feb 04, 2011 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 H:\DOCS\63679.TXT SAG PsN: JOYCE
44 

tures: the Administration on Aging, our State Aging Unit, and Area 

Agencies on Aging throughout the United States to help carry out 

the Act. 

As an area agency on aging, the Milwaukee County Department 

on Aging has had great success because the Older Americans Act 

orders that we lead, we listen, and that we advocate. 

As an area agency on aging, we lead collaborations to find lasting 

solutions for issues in our community. Our collaborations have resulted in onsite services and supports in public housing and lowincome housing, a mature worker center where older people seeking employment can go to one place and help them in their job 

search run by the Interfaith Program for Older Adults, a Robert 

Wood Johnson Foundation grant, which allowed us to transform 

seven neighborhoods into caring, connected, elder-friendly communities, an economic security initiative led by Family Service, our 

Intergenerational Council and our Wellness Council, and many, 

many other initiatives. 

The Older Americans Act requires that we listen to older adults. 

They are to be our advisors. In this community, older adults lead 

our work through our Commission on Aging, our advisory councils, 

our nutrition council, our neighborhood teams, and all of our 

trained senior statesmen in this community. Older people contribute to every aspect of the work of our area agency. 

Now, I could recognize dozens of people in this room but I really 

want to thank the current Chair of our Commission on Aging 

Barbara Bechtel. 

[Applause.] 

Our Chair Emeritus of the Milwaukee County Commission on 

Aging, Commissioner Gwen Jackson. 

[Applause.] 

They keep me very busy, Senator. Finally and most important, 

the Act requires us to be effective, visible advocates. 

In Wisconsin, we have helped advocate for a real affordable drug 

program, Senior Care, an end to waiting lists for home- and community-based care, Family Care, a strong Ombudsman Program, 

and a well-funded Benefit Specialist Program to help others. 

On August 24, our Commission on Aging and Advisory Council 

held a public working session on reauthorization of the Older 

Americans Act so we could submit recommendations to you and the 

Administration on Aging and all of our recommendations are attached to my written testimony, but our highest priorities turned 

out to be continued support and the growth of wellness and prevention and not just for older people but for their caregivers, too. 

A national transportation initiative as a new part of this Act because, as Secretary Greenlee testified, transportation is an underlying issue no matter where you live in this country. 

[Applause.] 

The formalization of aging and disability resource centers everywhere in the United States, so that everyone has the opportunities 

we have in Wisconsin and, most important, a way to fund advocacy. 

We would like the Administration and Congress to consider creating state protection and advocacy agencies for aging in every 

State modeled on the disability protection and advocacy agencies 

45 

that are so, so successful in this State and the rest of the country 

because it is through advocacy that the other systems get changed 

and we get to make better use of that very small Older Americans 

Act money. 

Finally, I’d have three personal things I’d like to ask, Senator. 

One is that we need a national effort to rebuild and modernize outdated non-appropriate nursing homes in this country. 

[Applause.] 

We need a national effort to bring older adults into the technology revolution, so that when three-quarters of our citizens are 

walking around with buttons in their ears and pushing screens, 

older people will have some idea of what’s going on in those devices. 

[Applause.] 

I would like us to work on a national agreement about what assisted living really means, what it really offers, so consumers know 

what to expect when it comes to this huge industry that is very different that calls itself assisted living. 

[Applause.] 

Everywhere in the United States there are great expectations 

about the reauthorization of the Act and I know that with your 

help, many of those expectations can be realized. 

Thank you so much, Senator Kohl. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Stein follows:] 

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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Stephanie, and now we’ll 

hear from Heather Bruemmer. 

STATEMENT OF HEATHER BRUEMMER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

AND STATE OMBUDSMAN, WISCONSIN BOARD ON AGING 

AND LONG-TERM CARE 

Ms. BRUEMMER. Thank you so much, Senator Kohl. It truly is an 

honor to be here. Thank you so much for the opportunity to testify 

on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. 

I also want to recognize Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee for 

her strong advocacy for the older adults. 

Senator Kohl, I know Stephanie made a list of all of the great 

successes you’ve had, but one that I really want to recognize and 

thank you for is the criminal background checks. Thank you so 

much. That’s just so important—— 

[Applause.] 

For our vulnerable individuals residing. 

Since 1978, the Ombudsman Program has been a core program 

of the Older Americans Act. It’s the only program in the Act that 

specifically serves consumers of services provided by residential 

care facilities. It provides critically needed home- and communitybased services that delay institutionalization. 

In November 2008, we had a very significant thing happen here 

in Wisconsin where we now have more assisted living beds than we 

do nursing home beds, and I only see in the future that this trend 

will continue. 

We all appreciate and value the importance of living in one’s own 

home and as a result there’s been a remarkable growth here in the 

State of Wisconsin of home- and community-based services available for our seniors. 

However, there are some elders who benefit from living in assisted living and nursing homes because they’re unable to safely 

live in their own homes. 

Wisconsin was one of the first States to pilot the Long-Term Care 

Ombudsman Program which was created by Congress and our 

State has continuously relied and improved resources available to 

our senior services. In 1981, the legislature created the Board on 

Aging and Long-Term Care and our program continues to grow. We 

provide advocacy services for nursing homes, assisted living, such 

as residential care apartment complexes, community-based residential facilities, adult family homes, and persons who reside in their 

own homes receiving Medicaid Waiver Program dollars. 

As long-term care services and supports have grown in scope and 

complexity, Federal support for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman 

Program has not always grown with them. While the mandate to 

serve residents in assisted living was added to our mission in 1981, 

there is no new fiscal authorization for this function. 

Ombudsmen visited about 79 percent of all nursing homes on a 

quarterly basis last year. Only 46 percent of all board and care assisted living received quarterly visits. Very significant, and I would 

say here in Wisconsin we would agree with that. 

Throughout the country, it has been increasingly difficult for ombudsman programs to serve residents in assisted living. So it’s very 

important, I think, for everyone to know that it is not—the lack of 

52 

sufficient funding is certainly not for the lack of trying by you, 

Senator Kohl. You’ve been a great champion and great support for 

the Ombudsman Program. 

Each year the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program resolves 

hundreds and thousands of complaints made on behalf of aging 

consumers nationwide. Seventy-seven percent of these complaints 

are partially resolved which is pretty significant. We know that the 

complaints coming in truly are of great concern. 

The majority of ombudsmen spend time in skilled nursing facilities, so it’s important to know what is happening in our Wisconsin 

assisted living facilities here. We believe that people have complaints and concerns. However, we can’t confirm that with any degree of certainty due to our inability to visit those facilities. 

We offer significant consumer protections to residents. I think 

what we’ve noted in the last years, complexity and diversity of consumers who live in assisted living facilities continues to grow as 

well as in nursing homes. Significant concerns, such as falls, medication errors, pressure ulcers, and abuse situations, are on the rise 

here in the State. 

We spend a tremendous amount of time investigating those complaints, but, most importantly, we also try to provide education and 

guidance to facility managers and staff to help prevent these reoccurrences. 

We also spend time educating and empowering facility leadership, individuals and families in providing care that is consumercentered. You know, our seniors are our greatest gift and they’re 

full of wisdom and full of life experiences. So it’s important to know 

who is that individual that we’re serving, what is their life history, 

and really make sure that they have meaning and full relationships with their caregivers. Every senior deserves the best quality 

life and care. 

I would like to propose the following modifications to the Older 

Americans Act. The section of the Act relating to the process of and 

limitations on disclosure of client information needs clarification 

and emphasis. The current language needs to be emphasized to 

make clear to facilities that it is this right guaranteed to individuals is of the utmost importance to meeting the goals of the Act. 

Ombudsmen throughout the country report having contact with 

more and more individuals who cannot speak for themselves and 

have no legally authorized representative to speak on their behalf 

and those are our most vulnerable people who we really need to advocate for and protect. 

We ask that the provisions in Title VII be amended to add language that states to intensify the training and efforts, to educate 

the public how important it is to complete the documents necessary 

to have a trusted, and I can’t emphasize that enough, a trusted 

surrogacy relationship with the personal advocate. We spend so 

much time here in Wisconsin with individuals that have no family, 

that really depend on our advocacy services. 

We support the recommendation which would amend Title II of 

the Act to propose a base appropriation for our National Ombudsman Resource Center. It has proven to be a valuable site for ombudsmen programs throughout the Nation for training, resources, 

53 

and technical assistance, despite inadequate funding throughout its 

history. 

This, along with the addition of Becky Kurtz as the Director of 

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, will well serve the needs of 

ombudsman programs nationwide. 

We wish to thank Assistant Secretary Greenlee for her foresight 

in creating this position. Wisconsin has such a unique ombudsman 

program. We’re very fortunate with the support of you, Senator 

Kohl, in Wisconsin. Not every State has that support. So thank 

you. 

The Older Americans Act gives us a strong foundation and reauthorization gives us this wonderful window of opportunity to build 

an even more stronger foundation. It is extremely important that 

Congress and the aging network come together to strengthen our 

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs to provide a safe, homelike environment and protect those members of our aging society 

who are receiving services and residential care. 

As one who speaks for Wisconsin’s many vulnerable facility residents and consumers of long-term care, I want to thank you once 

again, Senator Kohl, for allowing me to share with you the 

thoughts about the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. 

Thank you very much. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Bruemmer follows:] 

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The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Stephanie, you spoke about or referred to inappropriate outdated nursing homes as an issue that 

needs to be dealt with. 

Would you tell us a little bit more about your thoughts on that 

issue? 

Ms. STEIN. I sure will, Senator Kohl. I think that people realize 

that nursing homes happened as a result of Medicaid, a payment 

source, and some Federal money that helped people build and at 

that time, people thought that people who lived in nursing homes 

had to be treated in a medical model. So there are long corridors 

and nurses stations and two and three people in a room. It is not 

the way that any of us want to live the rest of our lives. 

[Applause.] 

I don’t believe that the nursing home industry really wants to 

continue serving people that way, but there is no way for them to 

access capital, especially nursing homes who serve people on Medicaid. 

You know, there are some great experiments going on in this 

country through the Pioneers of Nursing Home Care, but they are 

primarily folks who are developing new models and new systems 

for people with a lot of resources who can afford to privately pay 

for them the rest of their lives. 

Most older people enter nursing homes on private pay and then 

go on Medicaid because their money is all gone and Medicaid payments are simply not enough for nursing home operators to have 

the capital to build facilities so that people can get care in a dignified, home-like, personalized way, and I think, you know, the 

Older Americans Act is about home- and community-based care. 

We’re about home-and community-based care, but it is a national 

shame that we walk into these places and we give them lots of citations and we expect them to get better and they are in facilities 

that are simply not appropriate for people to live in. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Are you suggesting that we have way too many 

facilities that should not be operating anymore? 

Ms. STEIN. Oh, there are many facilities that shouldn’t be operating anymore, Senator, but often poor people and people who are 

going to become poor have no other choices but to enter those facilities. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Now to each member of the panel, 

as we all know, we have a very important person with us here 

today who will be central to the reauthorization of the OAA in 

terms of specifics and advocacy ideas that she will take and this 

is your chance to zero in on maybe one thing that you want her 

to remember. 

She’s not going to take six or eight ideas from each of us but she 

will take one idea that you want her to remember as she goes 

about her job over these next several months and into next year. 

So I’ll give you each an opportunity to speak with her courteously 

but sternly. 

Who would like to advocate first for something you really feel 

strongly about in the reauthorization? Go ahead, Stephanie. 

Ms. STEIN. Secretary Greenlee, I was so happy when you sat up 

here and said that everywhere you go in this country people tell 

59 

you don’t lose the advocacy in the Older Americans Act, but it’s 

more than not losing it. 

We are required to be advocates but there is no money to be advocates and there is no checking up if people are advocates, no requirements, and I really think that the disability community has 

had for a long time a model of advocacy through their protection 

and advocacy agencies and wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could 

replicate those agencies for aging in every State and then we’d 

know there would be advocates that we would work with that could 

organize the entire State, could change systems, and work on behalf of other people. 

So in this State, advocacy has changed almost everything that 

we’ve done and I’d sure like that to happen everywhere. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Go ahead, Heather. 

Ms. BRUEMMER. Thank you very much. I think the message I’d 

like to share is with elder abuse protections. I think it’s so vital. 

I oftentimes find, especially within the Ombudsman Program, that 

we’re reactive rather than proactive. 

If we had the resources to go out and train and provide the adequate information and tools for individuals to help protect themselves and have the right advocacy services, it would be tremendous. It’s so important. The vulnerability and as we know through 

the demographics, it’s just—Wisconsin is an aging state and we 

need to be proactive with the appropriate resources, being able to 

get into facilities timely and being able to get into people’s homes 

to make sure that they are protected and well cared for. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

[Applause.] 

Dottie, would you like to say something to Kathy? 

Ms. BROWN. Actually, I would like to make a request that when 

we finish our two jobs that we have ongoing right now, the one I 

mentioned that is on studying the unmet need for services and also 

we have a job that we’re doing for the Senator on elder abuse and 

a better understanding of the nature and extent of elder abuse and 

what kinds of things the government can do to help at the local 

level. 

So my request would be that when we finish those reports, we 

talk again. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Kay. 

[Applause.] 

Dottie, say a few words to Kathy. 

Ms. WILLIAMS. I feel that these experts have said many of the 

things that I’ve been thinking about, but I do appreciate what 

Kathy Greenlee said about the funding for rural needs. 

I’m not an expert on any of this, but it would be nice if there was 

a way to network between agencies, you know. Some counties run 

out of funds, some counties don’t use all their funds, and if there 

was a way to have a more equitable networking so that counties 

could help each other care for the seniors that are in their counties. 

That’s all I have to say. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. That’s very good. 

[Applause.] 

60 

Dottie, I’d like to ask you whether those people who are anticipating or just getting into the caregiving program that you’re involved in need to get some training and introduction before they’re 

involved? Could that be very important? 

Ms. WILLIAMS. I guess I learned on the fly. I mean, I’m just my 

mother’s daughter. I guess I was pretty ignorant. I didn’t ask a lot 

of questions and probably I should have talked to the Director of 

Aging earlier and that was my fault. 

I think if I had accessed more departments, I would have had 

more knowledge and when I was receiving help, it was sort of in 

a transition period when Milwaukee County was having Interfaith 

take over some of these responsibilities. So it was kind of a learning experience, both with Milwaukee County as well as Interfaith, 

and so everybody was kind of learning at the same time, but having been involved with Interfaith now, there are a lot of resources 

available and I feel very confident in contacting Interfaith and Pat 

Bruce, who is very helpful in helping me, and I think they would 

help you with training if you needed it. 

I have not found in my situation that I needed particularly professional training because in my situation, dealing with my mother 

who has dementia, it’s a very gradual process and so you’re kind 

of learning along with that person. 

The CHAIRMAN. Good. Well, we want to thank you all on this 

panel. You’re clearly and obviously people with great expertise and 

knowledge and experience and good judgment. We couldn’t have 

found four better people to come and represent the issues and I’m 

sure that Kathy feels that she’s fortunate to have heard from you 

today. So we thank you for coming. 

[Applause.] 

Thank you so much and maybe we’d like Kathy to come and sit 

before us once more and make some final judgments and opinions. 

Ms. GREENLEE. Thank you, Senator. I’d like to join you in thanking the panel members for providing their insights and what is 

sometimes both passionate and very personal information. 

I have a quick announcement and then if I could make some general comments. One of the things that we do at the Administration 

on Aging is administer lifespan respite grants. The program that 

we’ve talked about today, the Family Caregiver Program, has been 

around for 10 years at the Administration on Aging, but a year ago 

we began administering grants called Lifespan Respite because, as 

I mentioned and as you know, caregiving really spans the lifespan. 

For the second year we’ve had $2.5 million to administer, and I 

announced this morning 12 additional grants. We had 12 last year, 

12 this year, and we were pleased to announce this morning that 

Wisconsin has received one of these lifespan respite grants. So I 

just wanted to say congratulations to you all. 

[Applause.] 

Yes, go team or something. The purpose of the grants is coordination. Unlike the Family Caregiver Program where it’s specific to 

an individual, we understand that there are respite programs that 

need better coordination, more information, a comprehensive need 

for volunteers, and the lifespan respite grants are meant to help a 

State coordinate their respite services and so they can be as good 

61 

quality and grow as they can. So I’m very proud of you and congratulations to Wisconsin for that grant. 

Then just a couple of comments. Just in reflection, I said I listened to 310 people and you really got to the ground in four. So 

I was impressed that you go to the same place I did in terms of 

hearing from the network. 

The project in front of us, as you know, is to reauthorize the law 

and you and I certainly know what that task involves and for the 

audience, when you reauthorize a law, you look at the law and say, 

well, is it written the way we want it or should we write it a different way? It’s about what’s written in the law. 

I have heard a lot of opinion about things that could be written 

differently and will work with the Administration on whether we 

should change the law. 

With regard to the Older Americans Act, it’s almost impossible 

to talk about the law and not talk about the funding, but the reauthorization is about the law. Appropriations is about the funding, 

and this comes up time and time again and you heard it certainly 

in the GAO report, that there’s tremendous need for these services 

and they provide tremendous value. 

Right now in front of Congress, the President has recommended 

for the Administration on Aging a 10 percent increase in Older 

Americans Act funds. He recommended $102.5 million increase for 

our programs. That money was characterized overall as a family 

caregiver or caregiver initiative. That money would allow us 

through OAA to support direct caregiver services, direct care recipient services, and would double the lifespan respite grants that I 

just mentioned. 

I have been meeting with Members of Congress and their staff 

and will do everything I can to support the President’s request for 

increased funding for the Older Americans Act. 

I very much appreciate being able to come to talk to you about 

both the authority and the law and the appropriations that go with 

it and look forward to seeing you again either in Wisconsin or certainly in Washington. 

Thank you very much. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Thank you very much, Kathy, and all 

of our witnesses and ladies and gentlemen, for being here today. 

I think the purpose of the hearing was to be sure that Washington, through Kathy Greenlee, got a very strong opinion from experienced people here in the great State of Wisconsin about the 

things we can do to strengthen services to older Americans and the 

people on the panel acquitted themselves and brought that information, that experience, I think, to this hearing very, very well. I’m 

sure Kathy feels that she’s more than gotten back knowledge here 

which she put in by way of coming here and you’re coming here in 

such huge numbers to represent the issue and to impress upon us 

how much you care about services to older Americans, I think, has 

made a very strong impression on her. I assure you it’s made a 

very strong impression on me. 

So we thank you deeply for giving us your time today and we 

hope to return to you by way of good valuable service all that 

you’ve brought to us by your presence. 

62 

Thank you so much. 

[Applause.] 

[The committee adjourned at 2:07 p.m.] 

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